Tourism health is regional economic resilience
CARPHA's Tourism and Health Programme connects tourism and public health through surveillance, training, standards implementation, monitoring and response. In July 2026, CARPHA and the OECS renewed their partnership to continue strengthening tourism health through December 2030.
The programme has measurable reach
CARPHA reported 278 tourism entities registered in the Tourism and Health Information System across the OECS partnership, approximately 3,000 tourism professionals trained in infectious-disease prevention and control, and other programme activity including food-safety certification and tourism-facility recognition.
THiS connects hotels to early warning
CARPHA describes THiS as a real-time web-based tourism-health surveillance system. Its hotel-based surveillance material says the system is used to monitor illness in tourist accommodations and support national authorities in identifying public-health threats early. CaribSafe does not claim integration with THiS.
Food safety shows why monitoring matters
CARPHA reports more than 250 gastroenteritis outbreaks from 23 countries during 2010-2016, with 15% occurring in hotels or resorts and more than 25,000 cases. It identifies recurring root causes including inconsistent attention to food/environmental-safety standards, inadequate training and weak monitoring/reporting.
What hospitality leaders should take from this
General Managers do not need to become public-health specialists. They do need to recognise that illness reporting, food safety, environmental health, staff competence and emergency readiness are connected to destination resilience. CaribSafe supports operational records and readiness but is not CARPHA-approved, CARPHA-certified or represented here as formally integrated with CARPHA systems.
Practical takeaway
CARPHA's Tourism and Health Programme shows that tourism health is a regional resilience issue connecting surveillance, food safety, training and response. Hospitality leaders should understand the system while continuing to follow the legal and reporting requirements of their own jurisdiction.
Last reviewed: 29 August 2026
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